Psalm 84:5-12

5 Wohl den Menschen, die dich für ihre Stärke halten und von Herzen dir nachwandeln,

6 die durch das Jammertal gehen und machen daselbst Brunnen; und die Lehrer werden mit viel Segen geschmückt.

7 Sie erhalten einen Sieg nach dem andern, daß man sehen muß, der rechte Gott sei zu Zion.

8 HERR, Gott Zebaoth, erhöre mein Gebet; vernimm's, Gott Jakobs! (Sela.)

9 Gott, unser Schild, schaue doch; siehe an das Antlitz deines Gesalbten!

10 Denn ein Tag in deinen Vorhöfen ist besser denn sonst tausend; ich will lieber der Tür hüten in meines Gottes Hause denn wohnen in der Gottlosen Hütten.

11 Denn Gott der HERR ist Sonne und Schild; der HERR gibt Gnade und Ehre: er wird kein Gutes mangeln lassen den Frommen.

12 HERR Zebaoth, wohl dem Menschen, der sich auf dich verläßt!

Psalm 84:5-12 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Of "gittith," See Gill on "Ps 8:1." The Targum renders it here, as there, "to praise upon the harp that was brought from Gath;" and of the sons of Korah, See Gill on "Ps 42:1" and the argument of this psalm is thought to be much the same with that and Psalm 43:1. It was, very probably, written by David; to whom the Targum, on Psalm 84:8, ascribes it; though it does not bear his name, the spirit it breathes, and the language in which it is written, show it to be his; though not when he was an exile among the Philistines, in the times of Saul, as some in Kimchi think; for then the ark was not in Zion, as is suggested Psalm 84:7, but elsewhere; for it was brought thither by David, after he was king of Israel, 2 Samuel 7:2, but rather when he fled from his son Absalom; though there is nothing in it that necessarily supposes him to be banished, or at a distance from the house of God; only he expresses his great affection for it, and his earnest desires for returning seasons and opportunities of worshipping God in it; and the general view of it is to set forth the blessedness of such who frequently attend divine service: the inscription of it, in the Syriac version, is, "for the sons of Korah, when David meditated to go out of Zion, to worship in the house of God: and it is called a prophecy concerning Christ, and concerning his church," as it undoubtedly is. Bishop Patrick thinks it was composed by some pious Levite in the country, when Sennacherib's army had blocked up the way to Jerusalem, and hindered them from waiting upon the service of God at the temple; and others refer it to the times of the Babylonish captivity; and both Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it of the captivity, when the temple and altars of God were in ruins; but this does not agree with the loveliness of them, in which they were at the time of writing this psalm.